Unemployment rate in Libya
Libya: Unemployment rate was 18.76 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
18.76
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
10th
of 186 countries
All-time high
19.78
in 2021
All-time low
18.6
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Libya, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Libya recorded 18.76 for unemployment rate in 2025.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Libya peaked at 19.78 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 18.6, in 1991.
That places Libya 10th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Unemployment rate in Libya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 18.6 | — |
| 1992 | 18.83 | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 19.01 | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 19.33 | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 19.33 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 19.21 | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 19.15 | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 19.19 | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 19.23 | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 19.27 | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 19.24 | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 19.28 | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 19.07 | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 18.94 | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 18.66 | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 18.8 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 18.77 | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 19.04 | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 19.29 | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 19.32 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 19.5 | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 19.03 | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 19.31 | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 19.3 | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 19.69 | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 19.56 | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 19.05 | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 18.86 | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 19.09 | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 19.65 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 19.78 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 19.24 | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 18.71 | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 19.09 | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 18.76 | -1.7% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 18.76 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.63, 3.3× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Libya's 18.76 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9, 2.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.1 | 18.6 | 19.33 | 9 |
| 2000s | 19.04 | 18.66 | 19.29 | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.27 | 18.86 | 19.69 | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.2 | 18.71 | 19.78 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More work & labour data for Libya
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1881 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1642 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.213 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.54 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4664 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 7,184 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 939.57 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,815 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 4,969 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,784 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Libya?
- Unemployment rate in Libya was 18.76 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 19.78 in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.6 in 1991.
- How does Libya rank for unemployment rate?
- Libya ranks 10th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).